Heidi Klum is back in fashion again… literally! After leaving Project Runway in 2018, the German-born model is returning to host the 21st season of the clothing-design competition that has, since its launch in 2004, been spotted on Bravo, Lifetime, and now Freeform. Like the best revivals of timeless styles, this one adds some new touches, including ferociously opinionated celebrity stylist Law Roach joining original judge and eternally glam Elle Magazine editor-in-chief Nina Garcia. 

One feature that isn’t being messed with, however, is former Runway standout turned industry icon Christian Siriano, who is back filling Tim Gunn’s shoes as the contestants’ mentor. And good lord, he’s a blast.

“It’s always a challenge because everyone’s style is different,” says the popular designer, who took over the role when PR moved back to Bravo in 2018. “And I’m not trying to put my style on them. I wouldn’t want that. What I try to do is give them very real-world advice because I’m a working fashion designer. That’s different than Tim, who’s amazing, but he was more of a teacher. I’m more of like, when I leave set, I’m going to dress someone like Beyoncé. Literally. When they say, ‘Oh, I really want to put Ariana Grande in this,’ I’m like, ‘Well, I just dressed Ariana Grande, and I’m telling you from experience, she will not wear that dress.’”

Sometimes the contestants take his counsel. Other times, not so much. Still, the immensely quotable Siriano knows that he knows what he’s talking about. Especially given how often his designs wind up on the red carpet.

“I think the best mentor you could have is someone who’s actually really living and breathing fashion. I mean, I left set, literally finished the season, and then I dressed four people at the Met Ball,” he points out with a laugh. “I really am trying to give them real advice, and sometimes they don’t want to listen to that. And I’m like, ‘Okay, well then you will never dress anybody at the Met Ball. Good luck!’”

Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for Harper’s Bazaar

He takes the same point of view when it comes to heeding the judges’ input as well. “We talk about that a lot this season,” he says of designers pushing back on critiques. “They sometimes are like, ‘Oh, well, I don’t care what Nina says, or whatever Heidi says.’ Nina is the editor-in-chief of a magazine! If you ever want to be in that magazine, you have to be nice to Nina. That’s just how it works.”

“You want to be you, and you want your work to shine, and I get that, but you also want to make sure that you can survive and keep the lights on and have a staff,” Siriano continues. “And I learned that very quickly. I mean, I started the business right away and made sure that we could make money selling clothes.”

As always, it’s all about the up-and-coming talent ruching for their lives to prove they can cut it in couture. And this batch has a few who drew our attention — for better or worse — during the two-episode season premiere’s “Disney Princess vs. Villain” challenge. Among them: Mexican-born Jesus Estrada, who first competed back in 2010’s seventh season; his chaotic twin brother Antonio; Ethan Mundt, aka RuPaul’s Drag Race alum “Utica”; Runway’s first eliminee of Season 19, Caycee Black; Veejay Floresca, the second runner-up on Project Runway Philippines; and North Carolina’s self-taught designer Joseph McRae, who insists on being referred to by his full name as one word.

“All the designers this season, I will say, are nothing alike. What they think is very hot and trendy is totally different than the other,” offers Siriano, who has his hands full with this year’s stable of stylistas.

“It’s hilarious to watch the twins on the season. They’re hilarious. I love them. But one of them, he only wants to dress Charlie XCX. The clothes are very poppy, they’re very of that Gen Z era. And his brother is much more ladylike, and he just likes different things. So I like to see that there’s totally different customers out there. And I still think how the world is: There’s still the Upper East Side woman, so don’t lose her. And there’s still the downtown cool girl, and that’s never going away.”

So, who’s in and who’s out? We’re staying zipped on those specifics, but we will say the opener’s first runway show leads to some juicy fashion clashes… and not just between the designers. That’s a trend we can sew — er, so — get into!

Project Runway, Season premiere 21, July 31, 10/9c, Freeform, streaming on Hulu and Disney+